From staff reports:

Two Federal Way residents were named recipients of the Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Award. Ruth Cole and Dick Mayer were honored for outstanding community service. On April 11, to acknowledge the vital role of volunteers in our communities, the seventh annual Service Award Recognition event was held in the Governor’s Mansion in Olympia. Outstanding volunteers nominated from Washington State Community and National Service programs, such as RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program), Senior Companions, Foster Grandparents, AmeriCorps and VISTA, were presented with special awards by Gov. Christine Gregoire.

Ruth Cole, who volunteers at the Federal Way Senior Center, is this year’s Retired Senior Volunteer Program of King County (RSVP) nominee. Cole became an active member of the RSVP in May 2009 and has accumulated over 1,800 hours in volunteer service. At the Federal Way Senior Center, she arrives early in the morning to serve breakfast, then makes her way to the thrift shop or the food bank to volunteer.

Dick Mayer was recognized as a finalist after Monda Holsinger at the Washington Service Corps-Federal Way Public Schools AmeriCorps program submitted his name in a selection process conducted by the AmeriCorps state program. Mayer is the Good Works Coordinator with Wal-Mart and is also a member of the Federal Way Lions and Kiwanis.